Queensland cullet production plant hosts AIP members

The O-I’s cullet production plant in Queensland will host members of the Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP) in August. O-I produces approximately 2.7 billion bottles and jars each year, primarily from glass or recycled glass (cullet). These materials reduce usage of raw materials, energy and carbon emissions, creating a sustainable process.

O-I intends to increase its average cullet percentage in Australia from 39 to 50% by 2025, supported by O-I’s cullet production plant in Brisbane, which serves the recycled glass needs of the region.

The Brisbane Cullet site was co-developed by O-I and the Australian Packaging Covenant in 2014. It features optical processing, where recycled material is sorted to remove paper, plastic and organics, with the glass divided into two colour streams — flint or clear glass, and a mix of amber and green glass they call gramber.

The site also features flat glass crushing, where laminated and flat glass is crushed and the laminate removed, producing furnace-ready cullet.

Brisbane Cullet represents $10m of investment and is responsible for the creation of 26 new jobs in the area, processing over 140,000 tonnes of recycled glass per year, including glass normally downcycled or sent to landfill.

Attendees of the cullet production plant will see O-I’s feed materials such as COEX and MRF, plus the processing shed where the material is cleaned and sorted into the finished product.

To visit O-I’s cullet production plant in August, click here.

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/pjhpix